Respirator



H. 5. COVER RESPIRATOR June 2, 1942.

Filed April 8, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l WEZ/z as;

H. 8. COVER RESPIRATOR June 2, 1942.

Filed A ril 8, 1940- 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W'Zzzesss:

H. 5. COVER June 2, 1942-.

RESPIRATOR' Filed April 8, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 five/1507: 174776 5. 52222;;

WZ'b'zeasfes:

Patented June 2, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,284,949 aEsPiaA'ron l-llarvey S. Cover, South Bend, Ind. Application April 8, 1940, Serial No. 328,450

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in respirators. of an improved device to be used for protecting the user from dust, etc.

More particularly, this invention relates to improvements in respirators so as to provide a respirator which is fully efficient and satisfactory for use for the nose alone.

A particular object is to provide a respirator for the nose of as small a size and as light a weight as possible consistent with efficiency in breathing and filtering, etc.

An object, among others, is to provide improved filtering means and improvements in attaching a respirator to the face.

Still another object is the provision of such a device which is, at the same time, simple to make and assemble, having few parts, and which is economical to manufacture.

By means of my invention I have provided a respirator for the nose which is so light that it weighs only one ounce, and, yet, at the same time, is thoroughly eflicient in every respect including breathing and filtering. I have alsov provided a device which has the advantage of being of an extraordinary small size so as to reduce interference with vision to a radical minimum while, at the same time, efficiency is maintained. I have also provided a device having the advantage that the filter element is adjustable and removable and interchangeable with as large filters as desired.

My invention has the advantage that the mouth is left entirely free and while the respiratoris in use, the user may eat, drink, talk, chew tobacco, smoke, etc., without removing the respirator or changing it in any way. The user may sleep conveniently with the respirator applied, and it is so small that it may be carried in the vest pocket for instant use. The respirator body has the advantage of being streamlined to the nose with little or no waste space with the result that exhaled air is practically all breathed out with each breath and any amount of exhaled air retained for re-breathing is infinitesimal, if

any. The respirator operates efficiently merely by the natural breathing of the nose and does not interfere with said breathing, being entirely comfortable. 7 H

I am familiar with Patents Nos. 958,569; 1,486,- 290; 781,516; 1,081,745; 1,443,820; and 1,158,780. The respirators of these patents are marked by obvious disadvantages in weight, size, breathing efficiency, filtering efiiciency, awkwardness, cumbersomeness, most of them including labyrinths It has for an object the production of pipes and such great numbers of parts as to render them destined to failure from their birth.

1 Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter. My invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side view of the preferred form of my invention shown applied to a nose;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation showing the different positions to which the filter element may be adjusted;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 6-5 of Fi 3; I

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the filter element looking away from the face;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the same looking toward the face;

Fig. 9 me plan view of the exhaust valve frame and valve;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line Iii-l0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the exhaust valve;

Fig. 12 is an exploded view of the respirator;

Fig. 13 is a rear view of the intake valve frame and valve;

Fig. 14 is a side view of a modified form;

Fig. 15 is a rear view of the same; and

Fig. 16 is a plan view of the same.

The preferred form of my invention which has been chosen to illustrate the principle of my invention includes a body 20 substantially triangular in rear elevation with the apex at the top and having an integral right wall 21 and an integral left wall 22 as clearly shown in Figs.

3 and 6. These walls incline or converge forwardly or diverge rearwardly integrally into each other at the top where there may be provided a cut-out 23 to fit the bridge of the nose. The walls 2| and 22 incline or diverge away from each other downwardly in opposite outwardly convex formation and are joined at their lower extremities by a substantially horizontal transverse portion or wall shown uppressed in the center where there may be provided a lower cut-out 24 to fit the upper lip. The body 20 has a nose opening 25 and inwardly inclined portions 26 converging forwardly or diverging rearwardly to an intermediate point vertically shown in Fig. 6 conforming generallyto the nose and outwardly inclined or divergingportions 21 as shown in Fig. 6.

At the bottom of the body portion is an in tegrally formed reduced short bulbous exhaust valve housing 28, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 12 having a pair of exhaust openings 29 in the preferred form shown. The housing 28 terminates adjacent the lips and is spaced forwardly from the mouth and upper lip and above the lips when the device is applied and in use to prevent contact with the mouth and lips and permit free use and movements of the mouth and lips while exhaling entirely from the nose and preventing inhaling the exhaled air as where the mouth is covered.

The bulbous valve housing 28 is preferably integral with the body 20, hollow and preferably made of flexible material such as rubber. It is adapted to contain a valve frame 30 having a surrounding oval flange 3| at one side. To position and retain the valve frame, the bulbous valve housing is provided in the form shown with an inner retaining shoulder or flange 32 providing a constricted opening through which the valve frame may be inserted and the bulbous housing 28 may be provided with an outer shoulder or shoulders 33. By inserting the valve frame between the outer shoulders 33 and the inner shoulder 32 the valve frame may be retained securely in position as shown clearly in Fig. 5.

The valve frame 30 may be concaved longitudinally and transversely, that is, concavo-convex in cross section in both directions as shown at 34 in Figs. 5, 10 and 12. The valve frame 36 may be provided with a pair of openings 35 registering generally with the exhaust openings 29 in the bulbous valve housing 28. Preferably the valve frame 36 is provided with sharp flared edges 36 about the openings 35, as clearly shown in Fig. 10 to insure a sensitive and efficient opening and closing action of a valve 3'! upon the valve frame over the openings 35.

The valve 31 is preferably made of a sensitive flexible material, such as rubber and is cut to register with the base 34 of the valve frame 36, as shown in Figs. 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12, to amply cover the openings 35.

In the preferred form shown the valve 31 may be provided with an offset opening 38 as shown clearly in Fig. 11 and the opening 38 is adapted to have inserted therethrough a pin 39 integrally or otherwise attached to the base 34 of the valve frame 30. The pin 39 may be provided with a head 40 and a shank 4|. Preferably the opening 38 is smaller than either the diameter of the head 46 or the shank 4|. With this arrangement, the portion of the valve 31 about the opening 38 may flare outwardly upon the shank or head of the pin 39 to place the valve under stress or tension to insure the effective seating of the valve 31 against the base of the valve frame 30 to close the openings 35 in the valve frame 36.

The body portion 26 has integrally formed therewith a circular inwardly extending confining flange 42, as shown particularly in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 12, and is provided with an opening 43 as clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 12. Also there is provided adjacent said flange 42 in the body portion 26 a groove 44 in which is adapted to be mounted, seated and retained, a locking cap 45 having a flange 46 adapted to fit in the groove 44. The locking cap 45 may also be provided with a threaded tubular extension 4'! extending loosely through the opening 43 in the body 26. Adapted to be received by the locking cap 45 and in its tubular extension 41 is an intake valve housing 48 clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 12 having a base or seat 49 and a pair of openings 50. The intake valve housing 46 preferably has a cylindrical wall 5| and is provided with a follower boss 52 adapted to follow the threads of the threaded tubular extension 4! as shown particularly in Figs. 5, 6, 12 and 13. The intake valve housing is provided with a stop flange 53 to limit the movement of the intake valve assembly 48 within the tubular threaded extension 41. It will thus be seen that the intake valve housing may be threaded into the tubular extension and supported thereby. Fig. 12 shows the parts in exploded view before assembly and Figs. 5 and 6 show the views after assembly.

The intake valve housing 48 may be provided with a pin 54 having a head 55 and a shank 56 mounted in a web of the base wall 49, as clearly shown in Figs. 12 and 13. The valve frame base or seat 49 may be provided with sharp flared edges 51 about a pair of openings 50, as clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 12. The intake valve 58 may be provided with an opening 59, which openor lugs 15 provided with holes 16.

ing is preferably smaller than the diameter of either the head 55 or the shank 56 and the portion of the valve 58 about the opening 59 may flare outwardly, as clearly shown in Figs. 5, 6, and I2, about the shank or head to place the valve under stress or tension so as to insure a sensitive and efficient opening and closing action in relation to the openings 50.

Adapted to be secured to the body portion by means of the locking cap 45 is a filter element, box or unit 66 which in the preferred form may be more or less oval in shape. The filter element may be made in two pieces of felt in the form of disks 'to-wit, an outer one El and an inner piece 62. The filter element may be assembled by turning in toward each other the edges of the felt and sewing the edges together, as at 63, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 12. The inner felt 62 preferably is provided with an opening 64, and adjacent the opening 64 there may be provided, if desired, a washer 65. As shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12 there is provided a clamping ring 66 having an opening 61. The clamping ring 66 may be provided with ring clamping lugs'or ears 68 and 69. Adapted to be clamped to the clamping ring 66 is a threaded flange ring 16 which has an outer face or flange H adapted to have the lugs 68 clamped against it and an inner face 12 adapted to abut the clamping ring 66. The threaded flange ring 16 has a threaded channel flange 13 having an opening 14, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 12. The lugs 68 may be bent against the face H to clamp the threaded flange ring E0 against the clamping ring 66. The channel flange 13 is adapted to be inserted through the opening 64 of the felt and corresponding opening of the washer 65. The felt and washer 65 are adapted to be positioned round the channel flange 13 and under the felt clamping lugs 69, as illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 12.

The filter element is adapted to be united to the body portion by inserting the tubular extension 41 of the threaded locking cap 45 through the opening 43 in the body portion and then into the threaded channel flange 13 and screwing the parts together.

With respect to-the means for securing the respirator on the nose, I have provided, as shown particularly in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a pair of ears Adapted to extend through these holes is a pair of bands 1'! knotted to form loops 18 which may be located around the ears.

In Figs, 14, 15 and 16 I have shown a modified form of my device. The essential difference between the form of these figures and the preferred form is that the housing 28 extends slightly outwardly or forwardly and downwardly, while I have provided a filter element 19 which is round in form instead of oval, and which is substantially of an area more or less equal to the flange 42. Also I have provided a deeper lower cut-out 80 to fit the upper lip.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a nose respirator, a body portion adapted to fit around the nose only and seal off the outside atmosphere from the nose while leaving the mouth and lips free and uncovered, said body having a front opening and an integrally formed inwardly extending flange around the opening provided with a groove at the inside, a tubular threaded member having a flange seated in the groove, an inwardly opening intake valve assembly having a flange seated against the flange of the member and threaded in the member, a filter element having an opening and a ring around the opening, a threaded flange ring having an outer flange and having threaded connection with the member, a clamping member on the ring to clamp the filter and ring thereof at the opening and a tubular extension at the bottom of the body spaced from the filter and lips, communicating with the interior of the body and provided with an exhaust valve.

2. In a respirator, a body portion having a front opening and an inwardly extending flange around said opening, a tubular threaded member extending through said opening and having a flange seated against the inner face of said body flange, an inwardly opening intake Valve assembly mounted in said threaded member, a filter element having an opening, a ring fitting in the edge of said opening and having a flange engaging the inner face of the filter element adjacent the said opening therein, a second tubular member in threaded engagement with the first said tubular member and having a flange abutting the flange on said ring, and means on the said ring flange engaging over said flange on said second tubular member to secure the ring and filter thereto. I

3 In a respirator, a body portion having front opening and an inwardly extending flange around said opening, a tubular threaded member extending through said opening and having a flange seated against the inner face of said body flange, an inwardly opening intake valve assembly detachably mounted in said threaded member, a filter element having an opening, a ring fitting in the edge of said opening and having a flange engaging the inner face of the filter element adjacent the said opening therein, clamping lugs on the outer edge of said ring for securing the ring to the filter element, a second tubular member in threaded engagement with the first said tubular member and having a flange abutting the flange on said ring, and means on said ring flange engaging over said flange on said second tubular member to secure the ring and filter thereto.

HARVEY S. COVER. 

